Up the Wolves
Up the Wolves is the seventh song on the album The Sunset Tree. In 2014, it was featured in the AMC television series The Walking Dead, in its episode "Still". Lyrics There's bound to be a ghost at the back of your closet No matter where you live There'll always be a few things, maybe several things That you're gonna find really difficult to forgive There's gonna come a day when you'll feel better You'll rise up free and easy on that day And float from branch to branch, lighter than the air Just when that day is coming Who can say? Who can say? Our mother has been absent Ever since we founded Rome But there's gonna be a party When the wolf comes home We're gonna commandeer the local airwaves To tell the neighbors what's been going on And they will shake their heads And wag their bony fingers In all the wrong directions And by daybreak we'll be gone I'm gonna get myself in fighting trim Scope out every angle of unfair advantage I'm gonna bribe the officials I'm gonna kill all the judges It's gonna take you people years To recover from all of the damage Our mother has been absent Ever since we founded Rome But there's gonna be a party when the wolf comes home Comments by John Darnielle About this Song *"This is a song about how you're going to be alright. It's called 'Up the Wolves'." -- 2005-05-05 - Knitting Factory - New York, NY *"I'm always trying to figure out what to say about this god damn song. Part of me wants to say look it's about revenge, but as soon as I say that... no, that's not quite it. Part of me wants to say it's about the satisfaction of not needing revenge... and I say no, that some new age stuff. I think it's a song about the moment in your quest for revenge when you learn to embrace the futility of it. The moment when you know that the thing you want is ridiculous and pompous and a terrible thing to want anyway. The direction in which you're headed is not the direction in which you want to go, yet you're going to head that way a while longer anyway cause that's just the kind of person you are." -- 2007-10-01 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY *"This is a song, when people talk about triumph over adversity, adversity sounds like sort of a faceless sort of a thing that you don't need to triumph over so much as get around. This is a song about triumph over the adversary." -- 2013-07-26 - Newport Folk Festival - Newport, RI Things Referenced in this Song *The chorus alludes to the myth of Romulus and Remus, twins who were abandoned to die (albeit unwillingly) by their mother and nursed by a she-wolf (and the former of whom would later found Rome). Live Shows this Song Was Played at *2005-03-23 - Emo's - Austin, TX *2005-04-28 - Will's Pub - Orlando, FL *2005-05-02 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC *2005-05-03 - The Black Cat - Washington, D.C. *2005-05-04 - NPR Session - Studio 4A - Washington, D.C. *2005-05-05 - Knitting Factory - New York, NY *2005-06-18 - China Clipper - Olympia, WA *2005-06-19 - Neumo's - Seattle, WA *2005-07-02 - Old American Can Factory - Brooklyn, NY *2005-10-14 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL *2005-11-04 - Duke Coffeehouse - Durham, NC *2006-09-30 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY *2007-09-22 - North Star Bar - Philadelphia, PA *2007-09-25 - Lee's Palace - Toronto, Ontario *2007-09-27 - Rex Theatre - Pittsburgh, PA *2007-09-30 - Middle East Downstairs - Cambridge, MA *2007-10-01 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY *2007-10-02 - Studio B - Brooklyn, NY *2008-05-16 - Masonic Temple - Brooklyn, New York, NY *2008-10-21 - Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR *2008-11-05 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC *2009-02-25 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA *2009-03-07 - Harvest of Hope Festival - St. Augustine, FL *2009-03-18 - The Grey Eagle - Asheville, NC *2009-03-19 - Duke Coffeehouse - Durham, NC *2009-03-26 - Donovan's Pub at Colgate University - Hamilton, NY *2009-04-01 - Portage Theater - Chicago, IL *2009-09-18 - Ithaca College - Ithaca, NY *2009-10-09 - Paradiso - Amsterdam, The Netherlands *2009-10-10 - Queen Elizabeth Hall - London, England *2009-10-11 - Ruby Lounge - Manchester, England *2009-10-13 - Point Ephemere - Paris, France *2009-12-16 - Second City - Chicago, IL *2010-05-16 - BreastFest - American Theater Company - Chicago, IL *2010-07-31 - Holidays for Quince Benefit - The Pinhook - Durham, NC *2010-09-10 - End of the Road Festival - Salisbury, England *2011-02-15 - University of Washington - Meany Hall - Seattle, WA *2011-04-03 - The Opera House - Toronto, Ontario *2011-05-24 - Coalition - Brighton, England *2011-06-24 - Soho Restaurant and Music Club - Santa Barbara, CA *2011-06-26 - Rhino's Youth Media Center & All-Ages Club - Plan-It-X Fest - Bloomington, IN *2011-07-13 - 1982 Bar - Gainesville, FL *2011-12-16 - Troubadour - Los Angeles, CA *2012-05-01 - The Bakery - Perth, Australia *2012-05-04 - The Zoo - Brisbane, Australia *2012-05-10 - The Corner Hotel - Melbourne, Australia *2012-09-01 - Front Porch Music Festival - Livermore, CA *2012-10-09 - The National - Richmond, VA *2012-10-10 - Ottobar - Baltimore, MD *2012-10-11 - Theater of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA *2012-10-13 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY *2012-10-14 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY *2012-10-15 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY *2012-10-18 - House of Blues - Boston, MA *2012-10-19 - The Haunt - Ithaca, NY *2012-10-20 - Phoenix Concert Theatre - Toronto, Ontario *2012-10-22 - Fine Arts Center - Calvin College - Grand Rapids, MI *2012-10-23 - Pabst Theatre - Milwaukee, WI *2012-10-24 - The Varsity Theater - Minneapolis, MN *2012-10-26 - Blue Moose Tap House - Iowa City, IA *2012-10-27 - The Vic Theatre - Chicago, IL *2012-11-29 - Terminal West - Atlanta, GA *2012-11-30 - The Grey Eagle - Asheville, NC *2012-12-01 - Mercy Lounge - Nashville, TN *2012-12-03 - Cain's Ballroom - Tulsa, OK *2012-12-04 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX *2012-12-05 - Emo's East - Austin, TX *2012-12-08 - Crescent Ballroom - Phoenix, AZ *2012-12-09 - Club Congress - Tucson, AZ *2012-12-13 - Troubadour - West Hollywood, CA *2012-12-14 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA *2012-12-16 - Aladdin Theater - Portland, OR *2012-12-17 - KEXP Session - Seattle, WA *2012-12-17 - The Showbox - Seattle, WA *2013-06-09 - Higher Ground Ballroom - South Burlington, VT *2013-06-11 - Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead - Munhall, PA *2013-06-12 - Majestic Theatre - Detroit, MI *2013-06-14 - Taft Ballroom - Cincinnati, OH *2013-06-15 - Buskirk-Chumley Theater - Bloomington, IN *2013-06-16 - Space - Evanston, IL *2013-06-17 - Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL *2013-06-20 - Old Rock House - St. Louis, MO *2013-06-22 - The Bottletree - Birmingham, AL *2013-06-23 - High Dive - Gainesville, FL *2013-06-24 - Culture Room - Ft. Lauderdale, FL *2013-06-26 - The Charleston Pourhouse - Charleston, SC *2013-07-26 - Newport Folk Festival - Newport, RI *2013-10-07 - St. Georges - Bristol, England *2013-10-08 - Union Chapel - London, England *2013-10-09 - Royal Northern College of Music - Manchester, England *2013-10-10 - Arches - Glasgow, Scotland *2013-10-12 - Handelsbeurs - Ghent, Belgium *2013-10-13 - People's Place - Amsterdam, Netherlands *2013-10-16 - La Gaite Lyrique - Paris, France *2013-10-18 - Teatre Conde Duque - Madrid, Spain *2013-10-19 - Caprichos de Apolo - Barcelona, Spain *2014-01-19 - Rock for Roe at the Pinhook - Durham, NC *2014-04-15 - Pearl Street Ballroom - Northampton, MA *2014-04-17 - Club Helsinki - Hudson, NY *2014-04-19 - Laurie's Planet of Sound - Chicago, IL *2014-04-19 - Old Town School of Folk Music - Chicago, IL *2014-06-05 - Gothic Theatre - Denver, CO *2014-06-07 - Kilby Court - Salt Lake City, UT *2014-06-08 - Knitting Factory - Boise, ID *2014-06-10 - The Showbox - Seattle, WA *2014-06-11 - Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR *2014-06-13 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2014-06-14 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2014-06-15 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2014-06-17 - Mayan Theatre - Los Angeles, CA *2014-06-18 - Crescent Ballroom - Phoenix, AZ *2014-06-21 - Fitzgerald's - Houston, TX *2014-06-22 - The Mohawk - Austin, TX *2015-04-02 - Mercy Lounge - Nashville, TN *2015-04-03 - The Grey Eagle - Asheville, NC *2015-04-04 - The Jinx - Savannah, GA *2015-04-07 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC *2015-04-08 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C. *2015-04-09 - Webster Hall - New York, NY *2015-04-12 - City Winery - New York, NY *2015-04-14 - House of Blues - Boston, MA *2015-04-16 - Bogart's - Cincinnati, OH *2015-04-17 - Majestic Theatre - Detroit, MI *2015-04-18 - Vic Theater - Chicago, IL *2015-04-19 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN *2015-04-21 - Headliners - Louisville, KY *2015-04-22 - Wexner Center - Columbus, OH *2015-04-23 - Mr. Small's - Millvale, PA *2015-05-08 - Shaky Knees Festival - Atlanta, GA *2015-05-26 - Gothic Theatre - Denver, CO *2015-05-27 - Urban Lounge - Salt Lake City, UT *2015-05-29 - KEXP Session - Alaska Junction - Seattle, WA *2015-05-29 - The Showbox - Seattle, WA *2015-05-30 - Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR *2015-06-01 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA *2015-06-02 - Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, CA *2015-06-03 - The Mayan - Los Angeles, CA *2015-06-04 - Pappy and Harriet's - Pioneertown, CA *2015-06-07 - Houston Free Press Festival - Houston, TX *2015-06-08 - Kessler Theater - Dallas, TX *2015-06-09 - Austin City Limits - Moody Theater - Austin, TX *2015-09-08 - Off Broadway - St. Louis, MO *2015-09-09 - Lawrence Arts Center - Lawrence, KS *2015-09-10 - Vega - Lincoln, NE *2015-09-12 - Maximum Ames Festival - First United Methodist Church - Ames, IA *2015-10-02 - Bijou Theatre - Knoxville, TN *2015-10-03 - Neighborhood Theatre - Charlotte, NC *2015-10-05 - 40 Watt Club - Athens, GA *2015-10-10 - The Orpheum - Tampa, FL *2015-11-05 - Big Arts Schein Performance Hall - Sanibel Island Writer's Conference - Sanibel, FL *2015-11-13 - Art School - Glasgow, Scotland *2015-11-14 - Whelan's - Dublin, Ireland *2015-11-17 - Trinity - Bristol, England *2015-11-19 - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire - London, England *2015-11-23 - Heliogàbal - Barcelona, Spain *2016-02-24 - Sidebar Theatre - Tallahassee, FL *2016-02-25 - High Dive - Gainesville, FL *2016-02-27 - Noise Pop 2016 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA Videos of this Song *2009-02-25 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA *2009-03-07 - Harvest of Hope Festival - St. Augustine, FL *2009-03-18 - The Grey Eagle - Asheville, NC *2009-04-01 - Portage Theater - Chicago, IL *2010-09-10 - End of the Road Festival - Salisbury, England *2012-05-01 - The Bakery - Perth, Australia *2012-05-10 - The Corner Hotel - Melbourne, Australia *2012-10-14 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY *2012-10-20 - Phoenix Concert Theatre - Toronto, Ontario *2012-10-22 - Fine Arts Center - Calvin College - Grand Rapids, MI *2012-10-27 - The Vic Theatre - Chicago, IL *2012-11-29 - Terminal West - Atlanta, GA *2012-11-30 - The Grey Eagle - Asheville, NC *2012-12-03 - Cain's Ballroom - Tulsa, OK *2012-12-04 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX *2013-06-09 - Higher Ground Ballroom - South Burlington, VT *2013-06-17 - Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL *2013-07-26 - Newport Folk Festival - Newport, RI *2013-10-08 - Union Chapel - London, England *2013-10-13 - People's Place - Amsterdam, Netherlands *2014-06-05 - Gothic Theatre - Denver, CO *2014-06-10 - The Showbox - Seattle, WA *2014-06-17 - Mayan Theatre - Los Angeles, CA *2015-04-17 - Majestic Theatre - Detroit, MI *2015-05-08 - Shaky Knees Festival - Atlanta, GA *2015-05-29 - KEXP Session - Alaska Junction - Seattle, WA *2015-11-19 - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire - London, England Category:The Sunset Tree songs Category:Come, Come to the Sunset Tree songs Category:Video